Another Love
by anabeav87
Summary: Damon can't just leave her there, can he? Not only will he save her but he will also face the feelings that have been there all along. Just a little one shot of Damon and Elena actually getting Bonnie out of 1994.


**So yeah…I wrote a one shot while working on the other story…I actually wrote two. Don't hate me! And I am working on the next chapter for Not About Angels. Hopefully it will be up by the end of this week. So obviously this was written right after Damon found miss cuddles but I just hadn't had the time to post it. I hope you guys and gals like it! **

**Oh yeah…I own nothing when it comes to The Vampire Diaries. I disclaim in the name of not getting sued! **

They had decided to split up. After entering the picturesque, frozen in time hell, Damon and Elena began to tear apart Mystic Falls looking for Bonnie. They entered every building they thought she may be hiding and they had yet to find her. Eventually they ended up in the Salvatore boarding house where they could brainstorm. As soon as they burst through the door Damon sped to her room and although the scent of her lingered she was nowhere to be found. He entered the living room and immediately started pouring himself a drink while trying to think of where she could be hiding. He knew where ever it was Kai was surely there too.

"Where would she go? We're missing something."

"Um I don't know." Elena reached out for a throw pillow and hugged it while biting her bottom lip. "I assumed she would have gone to her grams or her dad's."

"Yeah but she didn't Elena. Where else would she go? Come on you and blondie know her better than anyone...where would she go?"

"I honestly don't know Damon. She always felt the safest at her grams and obviously she's not there or here..." She put her head down and tried not to examine the fact that Bonnie now felt safe at the boarding house.

"Where else did she feel safe or happy? Or just not scared as hell." He sat beside her on the couch and his hand reached out and clasped hers. "Come on think, Elena."

She stared at their intertwined hands with a weird expression but he currently wasn't interested in what it meant. "She used to say some of her happiest times were when were just friends and cheerleaders...you know before all the supernatural stuff."

She watched as his eyes lit up like a light bulb went off and he immediately dropped her hand before gulping the rest of his drink and making his way to the front door. "She's at the school. Let's go." With that he exited the boarding house without checking to see if she was following.

The high school seemed less pristine than Elena remembered. The paint was dull and the trees seemed to droop from invisible weight. A storm looked like it was gathering around the borders of the school making the dark halls seem fathomless. They searched hallway after hallway but they still hadn't found her and they were running out of time.

"How about we split up. You take the right end of the school and I'll take the left. We meet back here in 30 minutes if we don't find her."

"Yeah ok."

She walked away and with each step they both took the further apart they became...just like their current nonexistent relationship. Just as he was going into all the reasons they don't work in his head, he heard a faint sound. It was low and skittish...almost like the beat of hummingbird wings. It was strong however and the most beautiful sound he had ever heard...it was Bonnie Bennett's heart. He followed the sound as if he was an angel in search of grace.

She had run from him. She had to. She had been starved, beaten, and touched inappropriately. Maybe sending her magic away hadn't been the smartest move but she didn't regret it. She would rather suffer for all of eternity than release that literal monster onto the world. He had been sloppy and she had broken free of her restraints and taking off into the woods with the sound of him screaming her name in the distance. She had now been hiding under the unfolded bleachers for a little over two hours. Her memories kept her company. She thought of a simpler time…a time when the supernatural world hadn't infected her life yet and all that existed was her friendship with her best friends. She was in the middle of remembering their best Christmas together when she heard the door to the gym squeak open.

Her heart sped up and felt as if it was trying to crack a rib to escape her chest. She slapped her hand over her mouth in hopes that he wouldn't hear her breathing and she backed into the shadows below the bleachers to ensure that he wouldn't see her. She could just make out his silhouette through the openings in the bleachers and she could hear his heavy footsteps approaching. She had been caught and she feared what he would do to punish her for running away. A few seconds went by and no other sounds were made. She reasoned that either he was on the opposite side of the gym or he had left it altogether. Either way she could now make a run for it. She scooted quietly between the metal bars holding up the bleachers and made a mad dash for the nearest door but as soon as her hands made contact, a large hand covered over her mouth.

She screamed into the hand and tried to fight but he simply lifted her with his free arm and dragged her to the dark recesses between the wall and the bleachers before turning her around to face him. She backed up, pressing her back into the wall, and kept her eyes screwed shut until she felt fingertips graze her cheek and a deep voice whisper her name. She opened her eyes slowly...she knew that voice. It was fairly dark in the gym but there were several low lights on that helped her see. She opened her eyes fully and was met with a hard chest wrapped in black fabric; her eyes immediately darted upwards and green slammed into blue. She gripped his shirt in her fist and tried to draw in some air. It felt like she was hyperventilating. "Damon?" Her voice was barely over a whisper.

He gave his signature lopsided smile. "Hey judgy."

She smiled a watery smile and her grip on his shirt tightened. "You came back for me."

"Well you came back thirteen times...I figured I owed you at least one."

She giggled and then clutched her side.

"Hey you ok?"

"Yeah just a little sore and tired. Kai hasn't exactly been feeding me or been very nice to me."

His face hardened for a minute before he ripped into his wrist and brought it up to her lips. She only hesitated for a second before accepting it. She was tired and weak and needed all the added strength she could get. She took three big gulps and then wiped her mouth with the back of her free hand.

She looked back up at him and smiled. "So I take it you found miss cuddles?"

"Yep."

"You're keeping her safe right, Damon? My magic is in that bear. I had to keep it from Kai."

He placed his hands on her shoulders to try and calm her down. "The bear is safe I promise. I figured you didn't send it for shits and giggles so I've taken it everywhere with me. Right now though she's with Alaric and the rest of the scooby gang."

"Good...good. And how is everyone? Are they ok?"

"Yeah. Pretty much. Ric's human again."

"What? How?"

"Long story. We'll come back to it. Caroline is still a neurotic little mouse who drove me insane about coming with me but of course the answer was no. She has a thing for Stefan but Enzo has a thing for her...it's a whole big mess. Oh Ric is dating a witchy doctor named Jo who, get this, is Kai's sister."

"Are you serious?"

"Yep. Small world after all. Um Jeremy is...well he's not doing too well without you."

She nodded and then asked the question she desperately needed to know. "Is he seeing anyone?"

"Bonnie he thought you were gone. Forever."

"How many?"

He swallowed hard and told her the truth. He had never really been able to lie to her.

"Quite a few but now just one. She's been a constant for a few weeks now and surprise twist she's a Salvatore. Another long story."

She nodded with acceptance written all over her face. She had expected him to move on and she expected it to hurt. And hurt it did but now she could end things with him and not feel guilty. "And you and Elena? Are you two good? Did you get your epic reunion?"

He chuckled lowly. "Not exactly. She had Ric erase her love for me. At first I tried to remind her what we had but in the end I let her go. She's the old Elena without me...the one I fell in love with and she deserves to stay that way."

"I'm proud of you Damon. This will end well...I promise."

"Thanks little bird. Speaking of her we should go find her. She's in the school somewhere looking for you."

"She's here? Damon, Kai is looking for me."

"Shit! Come on let's go find her."

They had been searching the school for several minutes but nothing. Damon was listening out for any sound at all but there was instead an uncomfortable silence. After another minute they turned the corner and there at the end of the hallway stood Kai with his hand wrapped around Elena's throat and a stake pressing into her chest.

Damon approached slowly with his hands raised. Bonnie followed closely behind. "Ok Kai. Let's just talk about this."

"I don't really want to talk. What I want is Bonnie. So here's the deal you can either hand over Bonnie and I'll give you Elena back or you keep Bonnie and I drive this stake through Elena's pretty little chest. Your choice."

Bonnie took a deep breath and started walking pass Damon towards Kai. Damon's hand shot out, grabbed her arm, and jerked her back towards him. He held her close to his chest and said in a menacing tone, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"You heard what he said Damon. It's either me or Elena and we both know which one you would pick. I'm just making the choice easier on you. Now let go."

"No I'm not letting go and I'm not picking either."

"Is that your final answer Damon?"

Damon stood staring at him, stone faced, with his hand wrapped around Bonnie's arm. Kai laughed and lifted his arm dramatically to stake Elena but Damon sped toward him and knocked him on his back.

He wrapped his hands around Kai's throat and started squeezing before bashing his head into the linoleum floor repeatedly. Kai groaned and clawed at Damon's hands as his eyes started to roll backwards into his head. Just as he was about to pass out from the pain and blood loss Damon took his jaw and the back of his head in a firm grasp and jerked his head fast to the right. The crack of bone brought a pleasant smile to Damon's face but it was short lived when he heard Elena groan.

He dropped Kai and rushed to her side. Bonnie grabbed her face roughly, "Elena?! Please, please, be ok..."

"She's ok. He missed her heart. Hold on Elena."

He ripped the stake from her chest. She screamed and held her chest, breathing harshly, as it mended itself together. She sat up and threw her arms around Damon's neck. He rubbed her back while repeating over and over, "It's ok. You're ok."

"Come on. Let's get going before the asshole wakes up."

He helped Elena up and the three of them exited the school before turning in the direction of the underground cave.

It felt like they had been running forever when they finally made it to their destination. Damon automatically lifted Bonnie into his arms and the three jumped into the hole.

"Ok so according to Liv and her coven all we have to do is crush this stone and toss the pieces into the light of the eclipse and bam a gateway back home."

Bonnie removed the black speckled stone from his grasp and examined it. "Hmmm ok." She crushed the fragile stone in her palm and threw the pieces into the light. Immediately a cyclone of wind began and a hole began to form until it was big enough for two full grown men to walk through.

Damon didn't budge...he just continued to stare at Bonnie. She looked up at him and stared back with a growing intensity. Elena had no idea what was happening but she was getting uncomfortable watching them. "Guys we have to go. Come on."

"Go Elena. We're right behind you."

"No. I'm not leaving you two behind."

Damon put his hands on her shoulders and lowered his head until they were eye level.

"We are right behind you, Elena. Now go."

She nodded enthusiastically. "Ok." She turned and disappeared through the portal.

Bonnie turned to walk through next but Damon grabbed her arm before she could take a step. "Damon we have to go."

"I know but I have something to say."

"Ok. What is it?"

"I want you to know that I will never pick Elena over you again. If I can I will always find a way to save both of you. Ok?"

"Ok."

"I also wanted to say that...I...um I care about you. Probably more than I should. Being away from you for these last couple of weeks really showed me how important you are to me Bonnie and I don't want us to go back to the way we were. Promise me we won't go back to the way we were."

"I promise." She wiped away a tear from her eyelash.

Damon lifted his hand and wiped tears away from her other eyelash and then leaned in to kiss her cheek. His lips came dangerously close to the corner of her mouth. He then pushed her hair behind her ear before whispering, "I love you Bon Bon."

She gasped and jerked backwards but before she could say anything he grabbed her hand and pulled her through the portal with him.

Elena didn't comment on how long it took them to exit the portal but she knew something was going on between the two of them. They didn't speak on the way to the rented home the gang was currently occupying. As soon as they killed the engine in the driveway Caroline came running out of the door. She enveloped Bonnie in a bone crushing hug and cried deeply into her neck.

"I'm ok Care. I promise."

"Promise me this was the last time I'll have to mourn you."

Before Bonnie could say anything Elena spoke up. "Oh it is the last time because she's either becoming a vampire or traveling with one at all times." The girls laughed and embraced each other.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Come on let's get inside already."

As soon as Bonnie entered the door Stefan, Matt, Tyler, and Ric took turns hugging her tightly. Everyone was a mess but supremely happy to have her back. After Ric released her Jeremy appeared behind his back with a cute little light skin girl beside him. He stepped forward and embraced her. His body shook uncontrollably as he cried over her resurrection. "It's ok Jeremy. I'm back."

He nodded into her hair. She heard the girl clear her throat. Jeremy turned back to the girl and then to Bonnie. "Um Bonnie this is Sarah. She's..."

"I know who she is and before you start trying to explain things to me I don't care. You moved on. I was dead and you moved on. I forgive you but I'm not in the mood to discuss this. I'm exhausted and I just went through hell and all I want is a hot bath and a good night's rest." She turned back to everyone staring at her. "I love all of you but I just kind of want to be alone right now. Ok?"

Everyone nodded and agreed. Caroline stepped up to her. "Do you at least want something to eat?"

"Sure. Whatever you get is fine with me. Damon do you mind showing me a spare bedroom I can use?"

"Of course."

Everyone's mouths dropped open and they had perplexed looks on their faces. Bonnie wanted to be alone but she also didn't want to be parted from Damon.

After taking her to a spare room so she could take a bath, he grabbed miss cuddles, and then laid on her bed to wait for her.

She came out of the bathroom and stood in the doorway smiling sweetly at him.

"Feel better?"

"A lot. Kai didn't exactly encourage bathing...too much of a luxury."

"Are you going to tell me what happened over there?"

"It doesn't matter Damon."

"It matters to me. Did he beat you Bonnie?"

"Yes. Yes he did but I survived it and now I'm safe."

"Did he do more than that?"

"Are you asking if he touched me in a sexual way?" She lowered her head and wouldn't make eye contact with him.

"Yeah I am."

"No he didn't and I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Then we're done talking about it...for now. Look, I brought you something."

He met her halfway and handed her the bear. As soon as she grasped miss cuddles a light seemed to take over her body and her hair lifted and swirled around her as the magic found its way back into her body.

His mouth lifted to the side with his cocky grin. "How you feeling judgy?"

She smiled and let out a satisfied sigh. "A lot better." She sat her bear on the bed and ran a hand through her hair. "I guess I should get back out there."

Before she could twist the knob Damon was there with his back pressed against the door.

"I want to say something first. Think you can spell the room from vamp ears?"

She nodded and whispered under her breath in Latin, effectively shutting out the outside world. "Ok. What do you want to say, Damon."

"Don't say anything. Just let me say my piece, please." She nodded her head before he continued. "I know you heard me say I love you and I know you think that I either meant it in a friendship way or that I'm just transferring my love from Elena to you. Like I did with Katherine to Elena." He rubbed his hand across the back of his neck and lowered his eyes. He took a moment to collect himself and breathed deeply before making eye contact again. "But that's not true. I do love you Bonnie. And I know it seems like it came out of nowhere but I think it's been there for awhile and I ignored it because I was still wrapped up in Elena. And I know you don't feel the same way but I'm willing to be patient and do whatever is needed to prove to you that I'm worth it Bonnie. Ok?"

Bonnie stared at him unblinking and then nodded enthusiastically. "Ok." He leaned in and rubbed his thumb across her cheek and smiled sweetly before turning towards the door but she placed her hand on his wrist to stop him from opening the door. "I already know you're worth it Damon."

She stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his in a quick warm kiss. "And you don't know what I feel."

A small smile graced her lips as she walked out of the room leaving a shocked, confused, and happy Damon behind. The future was looking bright and interesting.


End file.
